


Cuddles & Confessions

by elderscrolls



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: AU, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Modern AU, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, theres mentions of sexual stuff but no actual sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 06:53:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15455739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elderscrolls/pseuds/elderscrolls
Summary: For Caleb it's the worst time of the month - until Molly surprises him with a visit.





	Cuddles & Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> technically calebs at a point in his transition when he wouldnt like... have his period anymore but im coping so im twisting the rules
> 
> also im so bad at naming but im too impatient to post this to think of a better title

Caleb and Molly had been dating for a few months now, and Caleb still had not told Molly that he was trans. Not that he was obligated to, he knew, but it still made some things harder - sex, for one thing. Caleb had blown Molly once or twice, which he was happy to do, but they had gone no further, since he refused to get naked. It wasn't any kind of aversion to sex; he _wanted_ it, but then Molly would see him and know he wasn't cis.

And really, it was stupid of him - Molly was fucking genderfluid, he wouldn't care. But part of it, Caleb supposed, was just that he _liked_ being thought of as cis. As much as he vented about cis people in private to Nott, the only one who knew he was trans, he didn't want to be thought of as anything else. Hell, this was the first time he'd ever had a friend group entirely composed of people who didn't know his deadname.

Normally, though, this was all well and good - the only side effect was that Molly couldn't be as handsy as either of them wanted, and of course, times like now, when Caleb hid in his apartment to wait out his period. Whenever that time came around, he always rejected Molly's requests for dates with an excuse that he wanted to be alone, or he had made other things, or anything else along that line.

Unfortunately, this time, he heard a knock on the door. He was tempted to ignore it and keep watching TV - he wasn't even sure what was on at the moment, he had fallen asleep on the couch a while ago and only just woken back up - until he heard a voice.

“Caleb? Are you there?”

Molly? What the fuck was Molly doing here? Granted, Caleb hadn't told him _not_ to come, but that was because Molly hadn't asked. They usually coordinated their dates over text first. He double-checked his phone - there definitely had not been anything saying Molly would be coming over today.

“ _J-ja_ , one minute!” He called out, before gently prodding Frumpkin up off of his stomach, where the cat was lounging and honestly providing more comfort than the heating pad he had bought did. Frumpkin let out a disgruntled meow, grudging hopping down onto the floor. “I love you,” he called after the cat.

From there he scrambled to get dressed - he had foregone his binder for the day, since his chest was swollen and tender, but the sweatshirt he wore was baggy enough to conceal anyways. He was only in boxers, though, and that had to change; he grabbed the first pair of sweatpants he saw and tugged them on. Then he stumbled towards the door and opened it, running a hand through his perpetually messy hair in an attempt to tame it. “ _Hallo_."

“Hey!” Molly flashed him a grin, leaning in for a quick kiss, which Caleb returned out of habit. He was dressed as extravagantly as usual, but this time, he clutched a bouquet of flowers - oddly shaped orange and blue ones that were almost reminiscent of birds. “Crane flowers, also known as birds of paradise,” Molly explained, as though that cleared anything up. “I know it's a surprise, but I wanted to-” he paused, frowning. “Are you okay?”

Shit. “Why wouldn't I be?” Caleb squirmed under Molly's now appraising gaze.

“I thought I smelled blood.” Molly had a puzzled frown on his face. Fuck. Caleb didn't know whether it was a tiefling thing or a blood hunter thing, but of course _now_ he remembered Molly's keen senses when it came to blood.

Caleb forced a laugh, reaching up on his tip-toes and grasping a fistful of Molly's jacket to pull him down and press his lips to the tiefling's. He knew Molly would gladly lean down if he asked, but he found it much more fun this way. The kiss was a nice distraction, he had to admit. A reminder that no matter what issues he had, Molly would be here.

Gods, he wished Molly would hang around. This hell week would be so much more bearable with him in it, if only Caleb could bring himself to _tell_ him.

After a moment, he pulled away. “Thank you for the concern, _liebling_ , but I am fine. You were saying?”

Molly was giving him such an _adoring_ look. “I was wondering if you'd go on a date with me? A double date actually, with Beau and Yasha? Or we can do our own thing if you prefer, of course.”

“You hate double dating with Beau,” Caleb pointed out.

“Because her table manners are _atrocious_ , but-”

“Was it not you who almost got us kicked out last time when you shoved chopsticks in your nose?” Caleb crossed his arms over his chest, arching an eyebrow and doing his best attempt at a glare.

Molly pouted at that, protesting, “it's funny when _I_ do it!” Then he sighed, giving a small shake of his head. “ _But_ they invited us, to that nice little Xorhasian place. I think it could be fun?”

Now Caleb regretted saying he was fine. Much as he did actually enjoy their double dates, all he wanted to do right now was lounge and stuff his face with junk food and whine to Frumpkin about how awful he felt.

“I, ah, do not feel up to going out tonight. I am _fine_ ,” he added at Molly's concerned look, “I just am not much of a people person at the moment.” That was close enough to the truth, at least.

Molly let out a hum. “Am I included in that? Because we _could_ stay here for a date. Cuddle and watch shitty movies, maybe order a pizza?”

Oh, what the hell. Caleb had to admit, he _did_ miss his boyfriend. He just had to be a little careful, and things would be fine. “That sounds wonderful. Come in.” He stepped aside, letting Molly through.

If Molly thought anything of the half-eaten ice cream tub or the several Zemnian chocolate wrappers scattered on the coffee table, he didn't voice it beyond, “I hope you saved some for me.” As he spoke, he squatted down to greet Frumpkin, who barreled towards him.

“ _Nein_ , it is all for me.” Caleb watched the scene with a sudden rush of fondness.

“So mean,” Molly pouted, before giving Frumpkin one last pat and setting the flowers on the coffee table. He flopped onto the couch and held out his arms - that was all the invitation Caleb needed to sprawl out on top of him, resting his head in the crook of Molly's shoulder and turning slightly to plant lazy kisses on the tiefling's neck. Frumpkin joined them, hopping onto the couch and curling up on Caleb's stomach as though he'd never been jostled from it in the first place. “What do you wanna watch?” Molly asked as he grabbed the remote from the table - nearly setting his hand in the ice cream in the process. He opened Netflix as he spoke.

Caleb hummed, reaching up somewhat awkwardly to cup Molly's face. He twisted slightly in order to kiss Molly's jaw. “You choose.”

“That's always a bad decision.” Molly started to punch something in, and got as far as SHA- before Caleb interrupted.

“No _Sharknado_.”

“You're no fun.” Molly kissed the top of his head before turning back to the screen. “Hm, how about-”

“No _Emoji Movie_ , either.”

“I have such a buzzkill of a boyfriend,” Molly sighed, and Caleb felt his heart flutter at the combination of the validation - although Molly had never known him as anything but a man, it still felt nice - and just the fact that he was _here_ , in such a perfect person's arms. He found himself wondering again what he'd done to deserve someone like Molly.

“Let's watch _Friends_. I want to laugh at straight people,” Caleb decided and Molly giggled.

“Always a good reason. _Friends_ it is.” Molly clicked Play, and the episode picked up where Caleb had left off, with Ross again whining about Rachel.

They made it through a couple episodes - exchanging kisses and booing at Ross while Molly threw chocolate wrappers at the TV - before Caleb buried his face in Molly's neck, saying almost in a whisper, “I want to tell you something.”

Molly paused the show. “Of course, dear. What is it?”

Caleb almost backed out of it. He could just say _I love you_ , and Molly would giggle and kiss his nose and chide him for scaring him. And that would be it.

Instead Caleb inhaled, managing to choke out, “I-I am trans. And because it is that- that time of the month, that may have been why I said no to the date, because I do not feel like doing anything but lounging and complaining,” he tried to add a little humor to the situation, wincing at how quickly he'd spoken - he wasn't sure any of it was even _understandable_.

“So I did smell blood.” Caleb almost rolled his eyes. Then Molly's tone turned more serious. “Caleb, my love, can you look at me?” Caleb obliged, tilting his head up to meet Molly's eyes, and the tiefling gave him a soft smile, reaching out to gently cup Caleb's face and trace his thumb over the stubble on Caleb's jaw. “Thank you for telling me.” He leaned in at a somewhat awkward angle to gently kiss him, then pulled away with a mischievous glint in his eye. “I wish you had told me sooner, though. I could've brought you more chocolate.”

Caleb _did_ roll his eyes this time, shoving Molly's face away playfully. Then he paused, getting an idea. “It is not too late, you know. There is a chocolate shop just around the corner.”

“You're really gonna make me go out at this hour?” Molly feigned a hurt look.

“You better hurry before they close. I will not let you back in without chocolate.”

The tiefling rolled his eyes, then laughed, shoving Caleb gently. “Get off me, then, so I can go get it.”

He hadn't expected Molly to actually go, but hell, he wasn't complaining. He chuckled as he watched him leave, feeling his heart swell.

He was glad he'd told him.


End file.
